Sweet, heat, and salty—what a great combination! Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge with Potato Chips And Spice is unique and so delicious.
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Anyone who has slipped crispy potato chips into their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (and I know it's not just me!) knows that the combination is quite freaking good!
Peanut Butter Fudge made with marshmallow creme and topped with crunchy potato chips is awesome: not only does it bring together peanut butter, spice, a little heat, and salty chips, but it's a fairly fuss-free fudge to make.
The peanut butter fudge recipe is adapted from the no-fail fudge recipe from the Marshmallow Fluff company.
I use kettle-cooked potato chips for that ultimate crunch. Whenever I'm struck with the urge to more-or-less eat a whole bag of chips, it's always the kettle-cooked variety. (Don't judge.)
That mega-crunch is very satisfying with the smooth, old-fashioned fudge.
Why you'll love this treat
First of all, anyone who loves peanut butter will love this fudge! You can make it for dessert, as a food gift to give at Christmas, or as a treat to share with friends and co-workers.
No candy thermometer is needed here: the "never fail" fudge mixture gets a quick simmer on the stovetop, and you can test the doneness with the soft ball test (dropping a little into cold water.) That makes this homemade peanut butter fudge fairly easy to pull together.
The flavors are unique, with sweetened peanut butter laced with cinnamon and spicy cayenne pepper. Crushed potato chips are added for saltiness and crunch.
(Here are more peanut butter candy recipes: Peanut Butter Balls and Peanut Butter Coconut Macaroons.)
🔪 How to make Peanut Butter Fudge With Potato Chips And Spice
Ingredients:
- Kettle-Cooked Potato Chips: You know, the really salty, really crunchy kind
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar
- Marshmallow Creme: I'm from New England so it's gotta be Fluff brand
- Evaporated Milk: Be sure it's whole milk
- Unsalted Butter: This goes into the fudge mixture
- Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality vanilla like Nielsen-Massey
- Cinnamon: I like Vietnamese cinnamon because it has a strong flavor
- Cayenne Pepper: Just a little. It's very good in this fudge!
- Peanut Butter: Use a good creamy peanut butter
Step 1: Prepare a few things
Line a square pan with parchment paper. Have a bowl of ice water ready by the stove. Crush some potato chips.
Step 2: Simmer the ingredients
Stir together the marshmallow, sugar, milk, and flavorings in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook it to the soft ball stage. (There are directions below—it's easy!)
Step 3: Pour and add the chips
Stir in the peanut butter, then pour it into the pan. Stir the crushed chips in, then let the fudge set for two hours.
Step 4: Slice and serve
Cut the peanut butter potato chip fudge into small pieces, and enjoy!
FAQs
This peanut butter fudge recipe cools relatively quickly: in about two hours at room temperature. Set the pan on a wire rack and in a cool part of your house to help speed things along.
Once the fudge is sliced into pieces, place them in an airtight container, or into a resealable bag with the air pressed out. Store the fudge at room temperature for up to four days.
While many types of fudge can be frozen, I do not recommend it with this recipe—because it has potato chips mixed in and scattered over the top. The potato chips will turn to mush in the freezer, so it's best to only store this fudge at room temperature.
Making fudge with Marshmallow Fluff makes it easier to get fudge that turns out perfectly smooth and creamy, but it's important to follow the directions. Stir the granulated sugar into the Fluff, milk, and other ingredients until it's dissolved. Cook the mixture for the exact times listed in the recipe. Trying to rush or shortcut these steps will result in fudge with an off texture or that doesn't set properly.
Tips for making Peanut Butter Fudge:
- The equipment you'll need for the homemade peanut butter fudge recipe includes an 8x8-inch pan, wax or parchment paper, a large saucepan, a heatproof spoon and rubber spatula, and something to crush chips with.
- As with any homemade candy, be careful while cooking the mixture on the stove. Hot sugar burns like the Dickens! If you're making this with kids, be sure an adult is in charge of the stovetop.
The recipe for this Peanut Butter Fudge With Potato Chips And Spice is below! And here are more peanut buttery treats for you:
💬 Let me know how you like this fudge! Leave a comment down below.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge with Potato Chips And Spice
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups kettle-cooked potato chips (about 1.25 ounces) plus a few extra chips for the top
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
- 7½ ounces Marshmallow Fluff (marshmallow creme) (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (about 8 ounces)
Instructions
Prepare the pan:
- Line an 8x8-inch pan with two strips of wax or parchment paper: the strips should be as wide as the bottom of the pan and be long enough to extend over the edges; have one strip go in one direction and criss-cross the other over it. This will allow you to lift the fudge out of the pan once it's set.
- Have a small bowl of ice water ready next to the stove.
Prepare the potato chips:
- Place the 1¼ cups of chips into a small bowl, and use a potato masher or the bottom of a glass to crush them into coarse pieces. Hold these aside.
Cook the fudge mixture:
- Combine the sugar, Marshmallow Fluff, evaporated milk, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir the mixture frequently until everything melts and is smooth.
- Increase the heat slightly to medium, and stir constantly scraping the bottom of the pan until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. (Note: this stuff is hot - I mean like molten lava-hot, so be very careful not to get splattered.)
- Continue stirring the mixture constantly for another 3 minutes until it reaches the "soft ball" stage: use a spoon to drizzle a tint bit into the ice water - the fudge mixture is ready when you can form it into a soft ball in the water. If it's not ready cook it for 30 seconds to a minute longer and test again.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the peanut butter until it is thoroughly combined and the mixture looks smooth.
Pour into the pan:
- Immediately pour the peanut butter fudge mixture into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Pour the crushed potato chips over the top. Use a spoon to stir through a few times to incorpoate the chips into the fudge mixture. Add a few whole chips (or larger pieces) across the top.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and leave it out at room temperature to cool and set, which should take about two hours.
Slice the fudge:
- Once the fudge is set, use a sharp knife to slice the fudge into 36 pieces. (Or larger pieces, if you'd rather!)
Notes
Tip:
- Store the fudge wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Lori L MacLaughlin
That sounds like an interesting combination. I love peanut butter anything!